Low sodium menu

[Sue from Canada]

Is a low sodium menu available in the MDR or does one have to request this from HAL weeks before setting sail? Are the food choices the same only less sodium? Thanks

[Mary Ellen]

From the HAL site:

Special dietary needs, such as vegetarian, diabetic or gluten-free meals, are easily accommodated with advance requests. Kosher meals and a Health Conscious Dining option are also available. To arrange special meals, please contact the Ship Services Department at 800-541-1576 at least 60 days prior to departure.

I'd suggest calling them to discuss your particular needs.

[innlady1]

Is a low sodium menu available in the MDR or does one have to request this from HAL weeks before setting sail? Are the food choices the same only less sodium? Thanks

 

I try to restrict my sodium and last year, asked our dining steward how to go about it. He will bring the menu to you the day before, you check off what you want the following evening, and you're good to go.

 

This year, we have used a HAL PCC so I will mention it to her.

 

I even had my favorite...escargot...low sodium!

[Sue from Canada]

I try to restrict my sodium and last year, asked our dining steward how to go about it. He will bring the menu to you the day before, you check off what you want the following evening, and you're good to go.

 

This year, we have used a HAL PCC so I will mention it to her.

 

I even had my favorite...escargot...low sodium!

 

Thanks for the info. I'll contact HAL a few weeks before sailing and re-confirm the day I board ship.

[Himself]

Avoid salt and sauces and hot soups. They are all loaded with sodium.

[fionan]

Expect the food to be plainer, sometimes. EG my partner ordered low sodium "cajun spiced snapper" - and received a very nice plain grilled snapper on steamed veggies. Delicious, but not spicy. we guessed that the spice mix had the salt already added and so couldn't be used. Soups and sauces couldn't be made low sodium either, as they make them up in bulk.

[sail7seas]

Soups on ships are about the highest sodium foods.

We are careful about salt consumption at home but find it hard to have very low sodium on the ships. It isn't mandatory we strictly limit so do the best we can within reason. For people who absolutely must limit salt, definitely recommend you speak with Ship's Services in advance of sailing. Seeing as we eat so little at home, when we are served foods with a lot we really taste it and it seems there is lots of sodium in everything.

 

[Juanita462]

It is possible to cook food without so much salt - using more herbs and spices for example.

 

We use almost no salt at home and also notice how salty the food is. They could make a really nice salt free salad dressing using only sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, powdered onion and garlic. Not expensive and very tasty. commercial salad dressings are also loaded with salt.

 

Since I cut out the hot soups and sauces have not had near as much swelling of the ankles. I think I will ask for steamed vegies this time as they are sometimes almost inedible due to salt.

 

Someone posted about having a bowl of crudites brought to the table and we did that on our last cruise - it was great, something to nibble on besides bread and, if the vegies were really salty, we finished off the crudites instead of eating the vegies.

[sail7seas]

It is possible to cook food without so much salt - using more herbs and spices for example.

 

We use almost no salt at home and also notice how salty the food is. They could make a really nice salt free salad dressing using only sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, powdered onion and garlic. Not expensive and very tasty. commercial salad dressings are also loaded with salt.

.

 

 

Great idea but an example of how you can never please all the people all the time. :D

I'd see all that sour cream and buttermilk and start cringing at High Saturated Fat. :eek:

[Taxguy77]

Great idea but an example of how you can never please all the people all the time. :D

I'd see all that sour cream and buttermilk and start cringing at High Saturated Fat. :eek:

DW grew up on oil and vinegar, wish I had, too.

The cajun and most all other spice mixes at the grocery store list salt as the first ingredient.:eek:

[IRL_Joanie]

It is possible to cook food without so much salt - using more herbs and spices for example.

 

We use almost no salt at home and also notice how salty the food is. They could make a really nice salt free salad dressing using only sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, powdered onion and garlic. Not expensive and very tasty. commercial salad dressings are also loaded with salt.

 

Since I cut out the hot soups and sauces have not had near as much swelling of the ankles. I think I will ask for steamed vegies this time as they are sometimes almost inedible due to salt.

 

Someone posted about having a bowl of crudites brought to the table and we did that on our last cruise - it was great, something to nibble on besides bread and, if the vegies were really salty, we finished off the crudites instead of eating the vegies.

 

 

I'll bite, no pun intended. What are crudites??

[sail7seas]

I'll bite, no pun intended. What are crudites??

 

 

Raw veggies........ carrot and celery sticks, olives, sometimes broccoli and cauliflower served with a dipping sauce.

[Bobed1927]

How would a person go about ordering low sodium in open seating where you may not have the same waiter each night?

[Mary Ellen]

How would a person go about ordering low sodium in open seating where you may not have the same waiter each night?

Have you contacted HAL, as they request, about your special dietary needs? (see post #2) Then it should be on your reservation. When you go to be seated in the MDR, everyone has to give their cabin #. That should let them know of your special needs.

[Juanita462]

S7S

There are 5 g of fat in a cup of buttermilk - vs 11 g of fat in 1/2 cup of ice cream

you can use low-fat, or no fat sour cream

But you only use a tablespoon or two of dressing on a salad - or mix it with olive oil or flax seed oil for a large salad.

 

I grew up on a farm and we drank whole milk and ate butter all the time.

I am 75 and run my own home, have a third of an acre garden and still going strong. Probably due to eating very little meat and tons of vegies and fruits over the years. So my doctor tells me anyway.:)

 

Oh, and we have never been served a dipping sauce with crudites - good thing as it would undo the good of the raw vegies.

[IRL_Joanie]

Raw veggies........ carrot and celery sticks, olives, sometimes broccoli and cauliflower served with a dipping sauce.

 

 

Thanks sail7!!!! I was worried that it might be tofu or something like that. I likes me fresh veggies so will have to ask for some:)

[Bakincakes]

My friends are sailing in Nov on HAL. The wife was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. So I advised her to call HAL and let them know. The HAL employee told her there were no special menus and that they really don't do anything with food. Basically my friend was told that SHE should know what she can eat or not eat.:eek:

 

So much for "dietary needs" help.:(

[innlady1]

My friends are sailing in Nov on HAL. The wife was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. So I advised her to call HAL and let them know. The HAL employee told her there were no special menus and that they really don't do anything with food. Basically my friend was told that SHE should know what she can eat or not eat.:eek:

 

So much for "dietary needs" help.:(

 

That doesn't sound accurate. :confused: I'd suggest she call her PCC or TA...and let them take care of it.

[sail7seas]

S7S

There are 5 g of fat in a cup of buttermilk - vs 11 g of fat in 1/2 cup of ice cream

you can use low-fat, or no fat sour cream

But you only use a tablespoon or two of dressing on a salad - or mix it with olive oil or flax seed oil for a large salad.

 

I grew up on a farm and we drank whole milk and ate butter all the time.

I am 75 and run my own home, have a third of an acre garden and still going strong. Probably due to eating very little meat and tons of vegies and fruits over the years. So my doctor tells me anyway.:)

 

 

 

Excellent. Keep on doing whatever it is you are doing..... seems to be the perfect formula for you. :)

 

 

 

 

Oh, and we have never been served a dipping sauce with crudites - good thing as it would undo the good of the raw vegies.

 

 

 

 

 

Google it..... you'll see the definition. :)

Just because a dipping sauce may be served does not mean anyone has to eat it. ;) When we get (got) crudite served to us in Ocean Bar before dinner, it always was (is) served with a creamy sauce. Couldn't tell you what it tastes like as we don't eat it. For all I know, it could have been made with fat free yogurt. ;)

 

[RuthC]

My friends are sailing in Nov on HAL. The wife was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. So I advised her to call HAL and let them know. The HAL employee told her there were no special menus and that they really don't do anything with food. Basically my friend was told that SHE should know what she can eat or not eat.:eek:

Actually, this is right on target. The woman needs to see a dietitian to learn how many grams of carbs, fats, and proteins she should be eating per day, how they should be distributed throughout the day, and the nature of the various foods. As a newly diagnosed diabetic, she will most likely have a series of sessions offered to her by her medical insurance plan.

It is up to her to order what she is able to eat. That food is widely available on the ship. Good luck to her.

[Soundsgreat6]

I have type 2 also and have no problems just order more veggies less starch, plus hal has Sugar free desserts just has good has the regular ones.

[jwitt2]

Is a low sodium menu available in the MDR or does one have to request this from HAL weeks before setting sail? Are the food choices the same only less sodium? Thanks

 

Gentleman at our table had requested this diet. Each evening before we left the table, they brought him a copy of the following day's evening menu and he selected what he wanted and they prepared it for him with the low salt. He ate breakfast and lunch in the Lido though.

[JamesEM]

Thanks for the info on crudites.

[happyglobetrotter]

Thanks for the info on crudites.

 

Crudité it is a french word. A raw or uncooked vegetable in French is a <légume cru>

 

Hence a crudité means any uncooked veggies.

 

It is pronounced correctly as cruditay.